Folding crate or coop



A. N. EITSERT.

FOLDING CRATE ORCOOP. I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1920. 1,409,935. Patented Mar-'21, v1922.

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FOLDING CRATE 0R COOP.

APPLICATION FILED WM 29, 1920.

1,409,935. Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

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means,

UNITED STATES ALBERT N. stream, or MASON CITY, Iowa.

FOLDING CRATE on 0001*.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 11 21, 1922.

Application filed June 29, 1920. Serial No 392,725.

To ultra/1.0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT N. EITSERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mason City, county of Cerro Gordo, and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates or Coops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shipping devices,

articularly to folding crates, and has for 1ts object the provision of a novel crate or coop which is normally in set-up position but which is easily capable of being folded into compact form so as to occupy very little space during transportation while empty, means bein provided for holding the movable parts locked together to prevent accidental folding. An important object is the provision of a device of this character which is designed particularly, though not necessarily, for the shipment of poultry, the device being formed slattedso as to provide proper ventilation, one slat being removable whereby to provide an entrance opening.

Another object is the provision of a crate orcoop of this character which is provided with novel means for locking it in set-up position.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, highly efficient in use, durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

WVith the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the crate in setup osition,

igure 2 is a cross sectional view there through on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the coop partly folded,

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the coo entirely folded,

Figure 6 is a detail elevation of one corner showing the locking means,

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view through the opposite corner, showing the locking Figure Sis adetail perspective view of one of the side hinges, and

Figure 9 is a front view thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown the coop as comprlsing a bottom 10'at the sides of which are secured longitudinal rails 11. Reinforcing angle lrons 12 extend around the edges of the bottom.- The numeral 13 designates the sides which are formed preferably slatted and bound with angle irons 13 and which have secured thereto angle bars 13 pivoted at 13 upon the upturned ends 14 of transverse an gle bars 14 secured upon the bottom. It

will be observed that these sides are swingable inwardly but that outward swinging movement is prevented. The numeral 15 designates the ends which are likewise slatted and bound with angle iron 15 and which are hinged, as shown at 16, at the ends of the bottom. Disposed intermediate of the ends of the coop, is a partition 17 which is formed slatted and bound with angle irons 17 and which carries vertical strips 17 hinged upon the bottom, asshown at 18. Carried by the upper edges of the end members 15 and the strips 17 are loop members 19- which form the connection between the ends and the partition and the top, this top being designated by the numeral 20 and consisting of a plurality of longitudinal slats 21 bound by strips 22 of angle iron. Two of the slats 21 are engaged through the loop members 19 and never become disengaged therefrom.

One slat 23 is slidable and removable and passes through guide slots 24: in the ends and partition, this slat being ordinarily held in position by a suitable pin or the like 25. The purpose of the removability, of this slat is to provide an entrance opening for placing poultry within the coop and removing them from it.

It will be 'observedthat the top is disposed above the ends and partition and disposed between the sides 13 and this of course prevents the sides 13 from swinging inwardly under ordinary conditions. In order to lock the coop in set-up position, I provide at each end and at the center thereof, transverse rods 26 each of which is formed at one end with a laterally bent handle 27 and which is provided at its other end with a lug 28 passing through the keyhole slot 29 formed. in the side 13. In accomplishing the locking the rod 17 is turned so that the lug 28 may be passed through the lot 29, after which the rod is rotated through an arc of 180 to bring the lug 28 out of registration with the slot 29.

V hen it is desired to collapse the coop it is first necessary to turn the rods 26 to bring v the lugs28 into registration with the keyhole slots 29, whereupon the rods 26 may be withdrawn entirely from the coop. The ends 15 are then swung inwardly and the partition 17 is swung downwardlyand as this is effected the top 20 willmove downwardly and be disposed on top of the folded ends and partition. The sides 13 are then swung inwardly onto the top and the device will then i A be in fully foldedposition, as shown in Fig- 'venient material would be galvanized iron.

I furthermore reserve the right to make such changes as will not depart from the spirit of the invention as such as will be within the see c of the claims. a

aving thus described my invention, I claim: i i

p 1. A folding coop comprising a bottom,

sides hinged upon the edges thereof and foldable inwardly, ends hinged upon the bottom and disposed between said sides, loop members carried by the ends, a top fitting upon said ends and between said sides and having slat members slidably engaged within said loop members, and locking members connecting said sides and holding them against outwardswinging movement and in engagement with the edges of the top, said locking members engaging against the inner sides of the ends whereby to prevent inward swinging of the latter, the ends being swingable onto the bottom subsequent to the removal of the locking members with the top resting upon the swung ends and the sides being foldable onto the top. i V

2. A folding coop comprising a bottom, sides hinged upon the edges thereof and foldable inwardly, ends hinged upon the bot tom and disposed between said sides, loop members carried by the ends, a top fitting upon said ends and between said sides and having slat members slidably engaged within said p members, and locking members connecting said sides and holding them against outward swinging movement, said locking-members bemg formed as transverse rods each having one end formed with a lat- V eral extens on and having its other end formedwith a lateral lug, the sides being formed with key-hole slots through which said lugs are adapted to be passed. 1,

In testimony whereof I hereto aifix my signature. 1

j ALBERT N. EiTsERT; Q 

